Hero
by Cooldudette
Summary: As Zack is dying. What are his last thoughts? Sad but short oneshot. prequel to Ghosts.


**This is a prequel to "Ghosts," another oneshot and another one I built myself up to posting.**

**Again all prettied up by the wonderful spopococ - check out her stories they are great!**

**I don't own them, you can thank Square Enix for bringing them into our lives.**

**Enjoy.**

**WARNING!! This fic contains a gay relationship, if thats not your cup of tea, please don't read. WARNING!!**

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I lay there dying, the rain pouring down on me. I could feel the blood, sticky and slick, running from my wounds. I could taste the coppery tang in my mouth, and I knew it was the end. A new sound reached my ears, the sound of something scraping along the ground. I could hear grunts of pain and laboured breaths. Cloud… How I wish I could greet him differently upon waking from his mako induced hell. Oh Cloud, I'm so sorry…

He came into my line of sight, and wearily, I moved my head to see him better.

"Z-Zack..."

I grunted in pain, struggling to move again; to look at him with a seriousness I had never felt before. I was not scared, just weary with the pain, and acceptance of what was to come. I could feel the cold seeping into my bones. I couldn't, however, die without giving Cloud a reason to _live_. I knew his feelings. They were as strong as my own, and I knew that if our roles were reversed, I would eventually throw myself on my Buster from the maddening grief of living without my Cloud.

"For the...both of us..." I said, my voice sounding weak to even my own ears.

He looked at me, his eyes struggling to mask his breaking heart and emerging grief at my unexpected departure. He was struggling, still confused and weak due to the Mako. How could I leave him like this? His head tilted a bit.

"Both of us?"

"That's right..." I gasped, "...you're gonna..."

I had to stop, the pain in my body and soul too much to bear, leaving me breathless.

"You're gonna...?" Cloud gently prompted.

I put every effort into bringing up my hand. I clumsily grabbed at the back of his neck and relaxed, letting my muscles pull him down limply. Due to his still lingering illness, his head met my chest easily, and he began to quiver. I knew there were tears streaming silently down his face whilst he knew I couldn't see. Oh Cloud… My Spikey… He was so strong and so caring, to try and hide this from me… to try and stay strong in the face of everything. How could he not see how strong he really was? My love for him swelled, and I continued.

"Live... You'll be… my living legacy."

I let me arm fall limply down; I had so little strength remaining. After a moment, he pushed himself up. My blood, contrasting sharply against his pale skin, stained one side of his face and streaked through his hair.

He was silent.

I doubted he could speak, trying to hold in his grief. I had to continue, frowning with the effort. I turned my head to see where my sword lay. With the last of my strength I heaved the Buster toward him from its bloody pool.

"My honor, my dreams..."

I offered it up to him and he lightly held it with his two hands.

"…They're yours now."

He held it, the tears streaming silently down his face, mixing with the rain. He looked me in the eyes and I saw some determination light deep within.

"I'm...your living...legacy..." He murmured, holding my gaze, even whilst my eyes drooped. I was so tired...

As I began to slip away, I heard his cry of agony and despair, and I hated having to leave him. My Cloud, my love... He knew my love for him, as I knew his for me. However, I didn't know how his memory may have been affected by the Mako poisoning, so I couldn't say I loved him. I couldn't kiss him, and that had been hard. As long as he knew he was mine, even just as my legacy, I would remain happy. I had left him with a reason to live.

Warmth spread throughout me then, and I opened my eyes, an easy energy filling me. I felt new, clean, safe and warm. I saw Angeal flying overhead.

"Those wings..." I thought, "I want them too."

I reached out to him and he clasped my hand. With a warm smile he pulled me from the Earth, to reside with him in the heavens. I looked back only once, to see Cloud slowly making his way toward Midgar, and I shed one perfect tear. It transformed into a white feather and carried on the wind toward him. Angeal smiled sadly at me. I smiled back and asked a single question.

"Hey, would you say I became a hero?"

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